Cinematic Point Of View

Title: The Woodsman and the Rain

Release Year: 2011 Director: Shûichi Okita

Genre: Comedy / Drama Runtime: 2h 9m

Cast: Kôji Yakusho, Shun Oguri, Tsutomu Yamazaki

After watching Perfect Days. I did a deep dive on Kôji Yakusho’s filmography. I ran across the trailer for The Woodsman and the Rain and did a blind buy. I’m so glad I did. It’s a real hidden gem about acceptance, finding your place, letting go, family, making movies, and more.

The Woodsman and the Rain centers on a film crew that travels to a rural area in Japan to shoot a zombie movie. They encounter a lumberjack (Kôji Yakusho) who, though initially standoffish and grumpy, is ultimately a pretty laid-back guy. They ask for his help in scouting locations, and he agrees. As they work together, the woodsman becomes more involved in the filmmaking process, even taking on small roles, which begins to open his mind a bit and he starts to loosen up.

The woodsman has a son at home who’s unemployed, and he’s incredibly hard on him. Their life is quiet and somewhat unhappy since the mother passed away. Despite this, the woodsman forms a bond with the film’s young director (Shun Oguri), who seems to be at the mercy of a yakuza-like producer and is literally dragged back to the project after trying to run off one night.

The film is full of humor and gentle touches on simple, authentic human experiences, along with cultural elements that are quite different from American norms—like the use of bathhouses. It’s a fascinating, light-hearted exploration of human connection and relationships that left me feeling good.

The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, and at times, you’re not entirely sure where the plot is heading, but I didn’t mind that at all. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and found myself rooting for them to open up and appreciate what they have—like a meaningful job and a son who clearly loves his father.

The locations are beautiful. Just hanging out with the folks in the beautiful Japanese countryside. Trying to make a movie. Sounds like a way to live a life.

If you can track this movie down, I highly recommend it. There’s a lot to love.